The vestibular gland is part of the female genitalia and plays an important role in terms of moistening and protecting the vulvar mucous membranes. When inflamed, it can cause problems and pain, especially during sexual intercourse.
What is a vestibular gland?
The vestibular gland or great vestibular gland (glandula vestibularis major) was named after the Danish anatomist Caspar Bartholin (1655-1738), who first discovered it. It is therefore also called Bartholin’s gland or Bartholin’s gland. It is located on both sides of the vaginal opening and belongs to the so-called “accessory sex glands”. These are glands that occur in the genital area in addition to the reproductive gonads (ovaries and testes). In addition to the vestibular gland in women, these glands also include the Skene gland, also called the paraurethral gland (glandula paraurethralis) and the small vestibular glands (glandulae vestibulares minores). The accessory sex glands serve to produce and secrete secretions. In particular, the vestibular gland contributes to the moistening of the vaginal opening and thus plays an important role, especially during sexual intercourse.
Anatomy and structure
The vestibular glands, which are about the size of a bean, are located on both sides under the labia majorae and open into the vaginal vestibule in the lower third of the vaginal opening on the inner side of the labia minora. The glandular exits lie embedded in the vulvar corpus cavernosum and are visible only as tiny openings. In the normal state, the glandular bodies, which are no more than 1 cm in size, are neither visible nor palpable below the labia minora. Only as a result of an inflammatory change do they emerge as bulging elevations under the skin. The glandular ducts, which conduct the secretion from the glandular body to the glandular outlet near the vaginal entrance, are about 2-2.5 cm long. Adjacent – above the vaginal entrance – are the Skene glands and the exit of the urethra. The glandular tissue above the vaginal opening is also called the “female prostate” because of its prostate-like nature. The Skene glands are also accessory sex glands. They secrete a thin fluid known as “female ejaculate.” Unlike the Bartholinian secretion, the secretion of the Skene glands serves no direct physiological purpose; rather, it appears to be an analogous counterpart, occurring in some women, to male ejaculation during orgasm.
Function and Tasks
The most important task of the vestibular glands represents the moistening of the vaginal vestibule and especially the vaginal entrance. During sexual arousal, the glands secrete more of a secretion that passes through the glandular ducts to the vulvar region, directly around the vaginal opening. In medicine, this process is called lubrication (lubricare – to moisten). Moistening enables painless penetration of the penis during sexual intercourse. In addition, the secretion film protects the sensitive, thin mucous membrane of the vulva from tears and small injuries. The acidic environment of the secretion makes it more difficult for bacteria and fungi to penetrate and multiply and thus also provides a certain protection against infection. At the onset of puberty – and thus potential sexual activity – the production of Bartholin’s secretion in the vestibular glands also begins. With increasing age, the function of the gland decreases again. The hormonal changes in the female organism are responsible for this. In particular, women from menopause onwards produce significantly fewer Bartholin secretions, which can sometimes lead to sexual difficulties. More decisive for problems with insufficient lubrication, however, are primarily reduced vaginal secretions within the vagina. This problem can be successfully addressed by using compatible lubricating gels. Some mammals also have vestibular glands to prepare for the sexual act – including female ruminants and cats. The male equivalent of the Bartholinian gland is the bulbourethral gland. This is also about the size of a pea and opens directly into the male urethra. As pre-ejaculate (colloquially also known as “lust drop”), the glandular secretion serves to moisten the vagina in analogy to the fluid of the female vestibular glands and thus also contributes to easier penetration.
Diseases and ailments
Infections with bacteria (often chlamydia, staphylococcus, gonorrhea, or E. coli bacteria transmitted from the intestinal tract) can cause painful inflammation of the vestibular gland, called bartholinitis. Young women of reproductive age are particularly affected. About 2 percent of women develop bartholinitis once in their lifetime. Initially, usually only the gland ducts are inflamed, but the infection can also spread to the glands themselves. As a result, redness and swelling may occur, and in more severe cases, large, hardened cysts or purulent abscesses may form. The glands, which are about the size of a bean in their normal state, can swell up to the size of a ping-pong ball. This is caused by a backlog of fluid produced by the glands but unable to drain away due to swollen gland exits. Abscesses may also be an accumulation of pus. In this environment, trapped bacteria can easily multiply. This circumstance leads to the fact that even after acute symptoms have subsided, an inflammation can break out again and again due to remaining pathogens (chronic bartholinitis). In order to prevent chronification and accelerate the healing process, bartholinitis should always be clarified by a gynecologist. Antibiotic treatment is usually sufficient, but in cases of severe cyst formation, surgery to open the outflow tract may be indicated. In older women with nodule formation in the area of the vestibular gland, it must also be ruled out that the cysts are malignant tumors.
